Biosecurity Expectations for
Owners Attending Shows
On behalf of the Government and Industry
Relations Committee (GIRCom)
With show season underway, it is important to review biosecurity practices and state travel requirements.
Biosecurity reduces the introduction and spread of disease. Owners should practice biosecurity whenever possible to protect the health of their animals and the broader show population.
Examples of biosecurity measures:
- Before taking alpacas to any show, reassess each animal's health. Condition may have changed since the examination for the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).
- If an alpaca develops diarrhea or shows signs of illness while at a show, quarantine it immediately to prevent exposure to other animals.
- Quarantine alpacas returning from a show for two to three weeks upon arrival at the home farm to monitor for any diseases they may have been exposed to.
- Locate quarantine areas—at shows or on farms—away from the main herd with no shared fence lines. Enter these pens only after feeding and managing healthy animals. Reserve a pair of boots or shoes for the quarantine area, and designate equipment (halters, leads) for that area only. Remove dung promptly. Handwashing or sanitizing stations should be available near the quarantine area and used when leaving.
Show veterinarians do everything they can to identify sick animals during vet check, but asymptomatic alpacas may still be incubating transmissible disease. Therefore, it is important to always practice biosecurity and monitor them closely before, during, and after every show.
If you are planning to transport your alpacas to another state, note that each state has its own requirements. Always check the specific requirements of your destination state before anticipated travel. For example, camelids over six months of age being transported to Nebraska must be tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis and found negative within 60 days prior to entry. During outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis, some states require livestock to be examined within 48 hours of importation. This requirement includes camelids, though the disease rarely affects them. Some states have specific microchip requirements, with some, like Colorado, requiring the USDA Official Identification (840 microchips or 840 RFID tags) for alpacas and llamas to be imported. With travel requirements subject to change, it is important to talk to your veterinarian well in advance of anticipated interstate travel.
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